Bag-fastener



(No Model.)

C. W. BRADFORD.

BAG FASTENER.

No. 255,922. Patented Apr. 4,1882.

. WITNESSES INVENTOR a ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES YV. BRADFORD, OF BELFAST, MAINE.

BAG FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,922, dated April 4, 1882.

Application filed January 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Beitknown that I, GHAnLEs W. BRADFORD, of Belfast, Waldo county, Maine, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bag- Fasteners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

Figure 1 represents a view in perspective of my improved bag-fastener when open, and Fig. 2 alongitudinal section of the same closed.

This invention consists in a metallic tie or look, suitable for meal or corn and other bags, in which two arms or jaws, made to open and close to receive and hold the month end or other portion of the bag within them, are used,

f and combined with a pivoted locking-catch,

the whole forming a bag-fastener which is very easily applied and well adapted for out-door work, and will securely fasten a bag, even if having no hem, Without risk of slipping.

A B are the two bag-receiving arms orjaws, which may be of malleable iron, and which are hinged or jointed at their one end,with the pivot or joint pin 1) arranged to pass through a longitudinal or slightly-inclined slot,c, in the jaw B, to provide for the longitudinal adjustmentor movementofsaid jaws. Either or both jaws may be corrugated on their inner edges, which gives the fastener, when elosed,a better hold upon the bag, but the jaw B only is here shown corrugated. This jaw B enters at its opening end, when closed upon the bag be tween cheeks e c on the corresponding end of thejaw A, and is constructed at said end with a locking-projection, f.

Pivoted to the cheeks cc of the jaw A by a pin, g, is a locking catch or lever, 0, having near its fulcrum end a tooth, h, which, when the jaw B is closed and the catch or lever O is shut down upon it, engages with said jaw back of its projection f, and the arrangement of the pin or pivot g, tooth h, and the projectionfis such that a line drawn through said pivot and intersecting the tooth h and projection fat their points of contact will be at right angles, or nearly so, to the length of the fastener, whereby the locking catch or lever O is prevented from flying back or open by pressure of the bag against the inner edges of the jaws. The free end ofthis lever C may be constructed to receive the jaw B within it when closed. The slot 0 in the jaw B provides for a drawingup adjustmentof the jaws by the locking-lever 0 when closing the fastening about a bag and the subsequent secure lockin g of the fastening by shutting down the lever 0 on the jaw B, as shown in Fig. 2, and it also provides for the ready opening of the fastening by lifting or moving back the lever 0.

Thus constructed the fastening has no tendency to fly or burst open, securely locks the bag, may be applied to a bag without a hem, and at any part of it, and is not liable to slip. It, too, may be easily adjusted or applied, also as readily opened when required, and is admirably adapted for outdoor work. If desired, either of the pins or rivets which pass through the ends of the fastener may be constructed to form a sharp-pointed hook for projection through the bag to prevent the loss or displacement of the fastener when open, and so that it will always be ready for use.

It should beobserved that the locking-catch or lever O operates by its tooth h as a cam or eccentric to close the fastener, and by drawing the arm B under or beyond the rivet or pin 9 to hold it locked. More than two arms A B, jointed together, may be used, if desired, accordingto the shape of the package the fastener is designed to be applied to.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An improved bag-fastener, consisting of two jaws having a longitudinal sliding and pivoted attachment at one end and provided at their free ends with a locking-catch, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The arms or jaws A B, having a longitudinally-sliding and pivoted attachment with each other at their one end and fitted to enter one within the other at their free ends when closed,in combination with a locking catch or lever for holding said jaws closed, essentially as herein set forth.

3. The arms or jaws A B, having a longitudinally-sliding and pivoted attachment with each other at their one end, in combination with the looking-lever G, pivoted to the jaw A, and constructed with a locking-tooth, h, for engagement with the jaw B in rear of a prothejaw B, connected to the jaw A by a longi- 1o tud inally-siiding and pivoted attachment, and provided with the projection f at its free end, jection, f, at the free end of said jaw, whereby substantially as and for the purpose set forth. on closing said lever thefastening is drawn up 5 and secured, substantially as specified. (JHARLES BRADFORD 4; Theoombination,with thejaw A,provided Witnesses:

at its free end with the jaws e, and the pivoted SAMUEL KINGsBURY, locking-lever 0, provided with the tooth h, of RALPH E. (Moss. 

